In 2001-02, 10,509 PJ of total energy production in Australia were exported (table 15.9). The largest contributors were black coal (51% of total energy exports) and uranium (33%). Crude oil and natural gas contributed 8% and 4%, respectively. Total energy exports (primary plus secondary) increased by 65% between 1993-94 and 2001-02. Among primary exports, uranium increased sharply (by 84%) and exports of black coal increased by 53% over this period.

Imports of energy products are relatively small by comparison (1,286 PJ in 2001-02) and are dominated by crude oil. Imports of this product increased by over a third between 1993-94 and 2001-02. Graph 15.10 shows the sharp contrast between exports of energy products from and imports of these products into Australia over more than 25 years.

15.9 ENERGY PRODUCTS, Volume of exports and imports

Exports

Imports

1993-94

1997-98

2001-02

1993-94

1997-98

2001-02

Fuel

PJ

PJ

PJ

PJ

PJ

PJ

Primary energy products

Black coal

3,484.5

4,390.5

5,339.5

4.9

3.0

1.1

Crude oil and ORF(a)

352.9

547.0

892.1

781.3

967.0

1,057.1

LPG

38.7

83.6

94.8

4.1

13.0

14.9

Natural gas(b)

327.8

415.8

(c)435.9

-

-

-

Uranium

1,877.2

3,015.1

3,462.0

-

-

-

Total

6,081.1

8,452.0

10,224.3

790.3

983.0

1,073.1

Secondary energy products

Automotive gasoline

30.5

52.0

42.6

4.0

12.1

49.4

Aviation gasoline

54.6

83.5

44.2

3.9

2.4

0.2

Aviation turbine fuel

58.1

90.8

89.8

2.6

1.4

8.3

Kerosene

2.0

1.2

0.6

-

-

(d)

Gas oil or fuel oil

59.2

39.8

60.3

38.0

32.2

22.3

Other petroleum products(e)

53.3

69.7

45.0

29.8

31.3

24.9

Coke

14.3

4.8

2.2

2.6

2.3

1.3

Total

271.9

341.9

284.6

80.9

81.7

106.4

Total

6,353.0

8,793.9

10,508.9

952.1

1 146.4

1,285.9

(a) Other refinery feedstock.(b) ABARE estimate.(c) 2000-01 value.(d) From 30 January 1998 kerosene is included in Gas and fuel oils.(e) Also includes lubes and greases, bitumen and other bitumous products, solvents, waste oils and diesel.

Table 15.11 shows that the large volumes of exported energy products contributed significantly to Australia's export earnings. The export of energy products contributed about 21% towards Australia's total export earnings in 2001-02, up from 18% in 1993-94. Black coal accounts for by far the largest share of the total value of energy exports (52.2%), followed by crude oil (25.2%) and liquid natural gas (10.3%). Uranium contributes only 1.4% of the total value of energy exports. Imports of energy products (mainly crude oil) made up only 7.5% of the total value of imports in 2001-02. It is important to emphasise that although the quantity of energy exports (by energy yield) has increased by 65% from 1993-94 to 2001-02, the value of energy exports increased by 126%, a key factor of which is the decline of the Australian dollar relative to the US dollar, decreasing by 28% in value from US$0.73 in 1993-94 to US$0.52 by 2001-02.